Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is a business strategy where individuals, instead of starting a new company from scratch, acquire an existing business. The primary goal is to take over a well-established, profitable company, often with strong customer relationships, a proven business model, and a stable cash flow. The entrepreneur then focuses on maintaining and growing the business, improving and potentially expanding into new markets.

ETA is popular among entrepreneurs who prefer to bypass the uncertainties of starting a new venture and instead work on scaling a business that already has a foundation. Search funds, leveraged buyouts, and other acquisition strategies are common models in ETA. Entrepreneurs often seek financing from investors to acquire and operate the business, sometimes taking an active management role post-acquisition.